Reinforced bucket with wear insert for bowling pin setting machines



March 9, 1965 w. BOYLE ETAL 3,172,662

REINFORCED BUCKET WITH WEAR INSERT FOR BOWLING PIN SETTING MACHINES Filed Sept. 11. 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS Leo/v M 8on5 BY dau/v 14.5203

March 9, 1965 w. BOYLE ETAL 3,172,662

REINFORCED BUCKET WITH WEAR INSERT FOR BOWLING PIN SETTING MACHINES Filed Sept. 11, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS LEa/V M BOYL BY dg v A, $1 ass United States Patent r 3,172,662 REINFORCED BUCKET WITH WEAR INSERT FOR BOWLING PIN SETTING MACHINES Leon W. Boyle, 7218 W. Eden Place, Milwaukee, Wis,

and John A. Sluss, 3088 S. Waukesha Road, West Allis, Wis.

Filed Sept. 11, 1961, Ser. No. 137,291 6 Claims. (Cl. 273-42) This invention relates generally to a reinforced bucket and more particularly to an improved reinforcement especially adapted to be applied to the pin receiving buckets that form a part of automatic bowling pin setting machines.

Automatic pin setting machines have been devised for automatically setting the pins in the specified triangular pattern for the game of tenpins which is more popularly known as the game of bowling. Some of these automatic pin setting machines provide a separate bucket for each of the ten pins that are utilized in playing the game. After the pins are knocked down by the player they are picked up by a conveyor which transfers them to a basket. When the basket is filled the pins are released to drop from the basket into the individual buckets Where they are retained until the entire set of ten pins is again to be placed on the bowling alley in the required pattern for the next play. At this time the bottoms of the buckets and their upstanding walls are displaced relative to each other to release the pins so that they may drop through the buckets into an upright position in the specified pattern in the proper location on the bowling alley for the next play.

The bowling pins are of sturdy construction and they are dropped an appreciable height from the basket into their respective buckets. This results in a substantial strain on the walls of the bucket. Although the buckets are usually fabricated of a heavy plastic material of considerable strength, the repeated shock to which they are subjected by the falling pins results in their premature failure so that they constitute an expensive and annoying item of maintenance.

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to increase the useful life of the pin buckets which are provided in the automatic bowling pin setting machines.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved reinforced bucket for automatic bowling pin setting machines.

Another object is to provide an improved reinforcing structure that may be readily applied to the existing buckets of bowling pin setting machines.

Another object is to provide an improved reinforcement for application to the buckets of bowling pin setting machines which will not in any way interfere with the normal functions of the buckets.

A further object is to provide an improved reinforcement for bowling pin setting machine buckets in which the reinforcement is of simple and inexpensive but sturdy construction while being extremely efiicient in operation.

According to this invention the improved reinforced bowling pin bucket comprises a bucket of conventional construction for receiving the bowling pins in automatic pin setting machines for simultaneous release to spot the pins in the desired locations. However, in order to vastly increase the useful life of the buckets, they are reinforced by a sheet metal reinforcing exterior shell wrapped about the outside wall of the bucket and provided with integrally formed straps which cooperate with the exterior shell to girdle the bucket. The ends of the straps are forced toward each other by suitable fastening means for securely tightening the reinforcement about the exterior of the wall of the bucket.

In order to further protect the walls of the bucket from 3,172,662 Patented Mar. 9, 1965 the impact of the pins as they are discharged into the bucket an interior protecting insert is provided to overlie the interior wall of the bucket along the area which receives the impact from the pins. The insert is secured in position by rivets, or the like, which extend through the insert, as well as through the wall of the bucket and the exterior shell. This arrangement for securing the parts together produces a unitary structure in which the parts will not be displaced relative to each other by the repeated impacts of the pins against the walls of the bucket.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention which will become apparent from the following detailed speci fication setting forth an illustrative embodiment, may be achieved by the particular apparatus depicted in and de scribed in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a reinforced bowling pin setting machine bucket incorporating the features .of the present invention, the illustrated bucket being of a configuration for the one, seven and ten pin locations of the pin setting pattern;

FIGURE'Z is a perspective view depicting the interior of the bucket shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a rear elevational view of the reinforced bucketillustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a front elevational view of the reinforced bucket illustrated in FIGURE 1 with the front wall broken away to reveal the assembly of the interior insert to the rear wall of the bucket;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a reinforced bowling pin setting machine bucket in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, the illustrated bucket being of a configuration utilized for all locations of the pin setting pattern other than the one, seven and ten pin locations;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the exterior rein forcing shell which is shown assembled to'the bucket in FIGURE 5;- 7

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the exterior reinforcing shell which is shown assembled to the bucket'in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the insert which is shown applied to the interior wall of the bucket in FIGURE 2.

Reference is now made more particularly to the drawing and specifically to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof which illustrate a reinforced bucket that is utilized for receiving the bowling pins in automatic pin setting machines and which incorporates the features of the present invention. The bucket illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 is of the configuration required for the one, seven and ten pin locations of the pin setting pattern. As is well known in the art, the bowling pins in the game of tenpins are equidistantly spaced in a triangular pattern and the three corner pins are identified as the one, seven and ten pins.

The one, seven and ten pins are not discharged into their respective buckets directly from above as is the case with the pins at the other location, but rather, the pins are discharged by the setting machine basket from a position which is offset from the center of the bucket so that the pins enter at an angle. In order to accommodate for this situation, the bowling pin bucket which is generally identified by the reference numeral 10 comprises an upstanding rear wall 11 and an inclined wall or chute portion 12 which is disposed at a greater angle from the vertical than is the rear wall 11. In addition, the upper rim of the inclined wall 12 is depressed with respect to the upper rim of the rear wall 11 to provide adequate clearance for the entrance of the pin when it is discharged from the pin setting machine basket.

The rear wall 11 and the inclined wall 12 of the bucket are integrally formed, of course, and are carried by a mounting flange 13 which is shaped to accommodate the pin setting machine structure that does not form a part of the presentinvention and is therefore not illustrated. The flange 13 is provided with a depending skirt 14 of cylindrical configuration having a central opening 15 for admitting the passage of the pin when it is released at the selected time to be spotted on the bowling alley.

The exterior reinforcement for the bucket 10 is generally identified by the reference numeral and is clearly shown in FIG. 7. The reinforcement 20 comprises an exterior shell 21 which is shaped to conform to the shape of the rear wall 11 so that the shell will embrace the exterior surface of the rear wall 11. A pair of straps 22 and 23 are formed integrally with the exterior shell 21 and extend forwardly therefrom at its bottom edge. The straps 22 and 23 are provided with tabs 24 and 25 respectively which serve to secure the reinforcement 20 to the exterior of the bucket 10. To this end, a bolt 26 is inserted through suitable holes formed in the tabs 24 and 25 after the shell 21 with the straps 22 and 23 have been positioned to girdle the bottom edge of the bucket 10 with their lower edges resting upon the flange 13. A nut 27 is then threaded on the end of the bolt 26 and the latter is tightened to draw the tabs 24 and 25 together until the entire reinforcement unit is tightly drawn about the exterior of the bucket 10.

Since-the pin enters the bucket Ill at an angle and passes over the inclined wall12, the bottom edge of the bowling pin impinges against the interior surface of the rear wall 11 so that the impact not only strains the entire wall but thecontact of the pin with the interior surface also wears the interior surface of the wall. To protect against this action, an insert 30 is secured to the rear wall 11 to overlie the interior surface of the Wall along the area which is struck by the bottom edge of the bowling pin as it enters the bucket.

The insert 30 is cl arly shown in FIG. 8 and it is formed of a sheet of metal which is shaped to conform to theconfiguration of the interior surface of the rear wall 11. A hole 31 is drilled at each corner of the insert 30 for receiving rivets 32, The rivets 32 extend through the holes 31 in the insert 30 as well as suitable holes formed in the rear wall 11 and the exterior shell 21 so that the rivets secure together all three members, for forming a unitary structure. With this arrangement, neither the insert 30 nor the exterior shell 21 can be displaced relative to the rear wall 11 by the shock which is created when the bowling pins enter the bucket it The insert 30 not only protects the interior surface of the wall 11 from the abrasive action of the bowling pins but it also assists the exterior shell 21 in supporting the rear wall 11 for preventing its collapse from the constant strain to which it is subjected by the impingment of the pins when they enter the bucket.

As previously mentioned, the bowling pins enter their cooperating buckets at the one, seven and ten locations at an angle and the above described structure is especially adapted to protect and reinforce the'particular buckets provided at the one, seven and ten locations of the pin setting pattern. In the other locations of the pattern, the bowling pin is dropped from a position more directly above the buckets so that the walls of the bucket are not subjected to as great. a strain or'abrasive action as are the walls of the buckets at the one, seven and ten locations. In addition, since the pins are not entering the bucket at an angle, the inclined wall or chute 12 is not required so that the entire wall of the bucket is of concentric configuration as illustrated in FIG. 5.

This reinforced bucket is generally identified by the reference numeral 35 and comprises an upstanding wall 36 which flares upwardly and outwardly. The wall 36 of the bucket 35 rests upon the flange 13, the latter and its depending skirt 14 being identical to the flange 13 and skirt 14 provided for the bucket 10. In view of the fact that the pin does not enter the bucket 35 at an angle, an interior insert is not required in these locations. However, the wall 36 is reinforced by an exterior shell 40 which girdles the exterior surface of the wall 36 and is provided with a tab 41 at one end and a cooperating tab 42 at the opposite end. As the shell 40 is wrapped about the exterior surface of the wall 36 a pair of bolts 33 are inserted through suitable openings in both tabs 41 and 42, and a pair of nuts 44 are threaded on the two bolts. The bolts 43 are tightened with respect to the nuts 44 for drawing the two tabs 41 and 42 together until the shell 40 tightly embraces the exterior surface of the wall 36. The tabs 41 and 42 are parallel to each other but are inclined slightly from a vertical plane passing through the tabs as it has been found that the shell 40 will be drawn more tightly about the wall 36 with the tabs 41 and 42 disposed in this manner.

From the foregoing detailed description of the structure of the illustrative embodiments of the present invention, it will be apparent that a new and improved reinforced bucket for bowling pin setting machines has been provided which is especially adapted to withstand the strain and wear to which they are subjected by the impingement of the bowling pins as they enter the buckets.. In addition, the reinforcing members are particularly well adapted to be installed upon existing buckets with a very minimum of difliculty so that such buckets can be readily modified to increase their useful life and improve their operating efficiency.

Although the illustrative embodiment of the invention has been described in considerable detail for the purpose of making a full disclosure of a practical operative arrangement by means of which the invention may be' practiced, it is to be understood that various novel features of the invention'may be incorporated in other arrangements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the subjoined claims.

The principles of the invention having now been fully explained in connection with the foregoing description of embodying structure, we hereby claim as our invention:

7 receiving the bowling pin; a shell disposed about the exterior surface of said 'wall; means secured to said shell operable to tightengsaid shell about said wall for reinforcing the wall to withstand the strain imposed upon it by the pin entering the bucket; an insert overlying a portion of the interior surface of said wall to protect it from damage by the bowling pin as the latter enters the bucket; and a plurality of fasteners extending through said insert, said wall and said shell for securing the three members together to form a unitary structure; whereby said shell and said insert cannot be displaced relative to each other nor relative to said wall by the shock of the pins entering the bucket.

2. In a reinforced pin bucket for a bowling pin setting machine; a base; a wall of the pin bucket upstanding from said base for receiving the bowling pin; a shell disposed about the exterior surface of said wall; a strap extending forwardly from each side of said shell to cooperate with said shell for girdling the bucket; means for drawing said straps together to bring said shell into tight engagement with the exterior surface of said wall for reinforcing the wall to withstand the strain imposed upon it by the pin entering the bucket; and an insert secured to the interior surface of said wall to protect the interior surface from damage by the bowling pin as the latter enters the bucket.

3. In a reinforced pin bucket for a bowler pin setting machine; an upstanding wall of the pin bucket for receiving the pin; a shell about the exterior surface of said wall; means secured to said shell operable to tighten said shell about said wall for reinforcing the wall to withstand the strain imposed upon it by the pin entering the bucket; and an insert secured to the interior surface of said wall to protect the interior surface from being struck by the bowling pin as the latter enters the bucket.

4. In a reinforced pin bucket for a bowling pin setting machine; a base; a wall of the pin bucket upstanding from said base for receiving the bowling pin; a shell disposed about the exterior surface of said wall; a strap extending forwardly from each side of said shell to cooperate with said shell for girdling the bucket; a tab at the extending end of each of said straps; and means for forcing said tabs toward each other for drawing said straps and said shell into tight engagement with the exterior surface of said wall; whereby said shell serves to reinforce said wall for absorbing the strain imposed by the bowling in as it enters the bucket.

5. In a reinforced pin bucket for a bowling pin setting machine; a base; a wall of the pin bucket upstanding from said base for receiving the bowling pin; a shell disposed about the exterior surface of said wall; a strap extending forwardly from each side of said shell to cooperate with said shell for girdling the bucket; and means for drawing said straps together to bring said shell into tight engagement with the exterior surface of said wall; whereby said shell serves to reinforce said wall for absorbing the strain imposed by the bowling pin as it enters-the bucket.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 802,623 10/05 Camp 273-189 1,044,013 11/12 Burnett 1381l0 1,482,564 2/24 Isachson 287118 1,806,274 5/31 Williams 273-43 2,462,543 2/49 Palmer 273-42 2,736,554 2/56 7 Fluke et al. 273-43 2,739,813 3/56 DOWd et a1 27343 2,794,638 6/57 Risher et al. 27354 2,831,556 4/58 Thoman et al. 193-9 FOREIGN PATENTS 509,772 7/39 Great Britain.

DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner. 

6. IN A REINFORCED PIN BUCKET FOR A BOWLING PIN SETTING MACHINE; AN UPSTANDING WALL OF THE PIN BUCKET FOR RECEIVING THE PIN; A SHELL ABOUT THE EXTERIOR SURFACE OF SAID WALL; AND MEANS SECURED TO SAID SHELL FOR TIGHTENING SAID SHELL ABOUT SAID WALL; WHEREBY SAID SHELL SERVES TO REINFORCE SAID WALL FOR ABSORBING THE STRAIN IMPOSED BY THE BOWLING PIN AS IT ENTERS THE BUCKET. 